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The arrests keep coming for New Mexicans who were involved in the insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Now, a third man has been charged for participating in the riots. Matthew Martin, 42, appeared in federal court before Judge Zia Faruqui via telephone on April 22.
Martin, who worked as a federal defense contractor in Santa Fe, says he traveled to D.C. on Jan. 5 to participate in a protest at the Capitol after reading Trump’s tweets about the election being stolen by President Joe Biden and the former president encouraging a protest in D.C. on Jan. 6. The FBI tracked Martin down through his cell phone. Martin had taken selfies and videos of the attack, which was used as further evidence against him. One of the videos on Martin’s phone shows a police officer standing near a door to the Capitol. The video also shows that a pane of glass on the door has been smashed. Another video shows Martin in the Capitol rotunda as he films crowds of people rioting inside.
CCTV footage provided by the FBI shows Martin wandering around in a throng of protestors taking pictures and videos of the riot. He can be seen wearing a USA hat and a red TRUMP mask. Martin says he flew home on Jan. 7 after he realized the riots were much more serious than he originally thought.
Martin has been charged with entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct which impedes government business, disruptive conduct in the Capitol buildings and demonstrating in the Capitol buildings. Each offense is a misdemeanor charge but can carry up to a year in prison. He is currently out on bond and is not allowed to leave the state.
Martin now joins Shawn Bradley Witzemann and Cowboys for Trump leader and Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin in the list of New Mexican arrested for participating in the attack. Griffin is currently appealing a recall vote led by Otero County residents to the state Supreme Court. If allowed, a recall petition against Griffin with a sufficient number of signatures could trigger a special election within months. Otherwise, Griffin is up for possible re-election in 2022 for a second, four-year term.
Read Matthew Martin’s criminal complaint here:
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